Plate full of Maze
by HeartlessRomantic
Summary: Sarah is now happily married, with teen. But then Dakota wishes herself away to the Goblin City. Can she save Jareth and the City, or will she...die? REWRITE.
1. The Really Short Chapter

**_Hello, Heartless here...I rewrote this because a lot of things in it were bugging me, mostly the writing style. So, while it still is not perfect, it is at least better in my opinion. _**

****

**_Disclaimer: I own the DVD...and the soundtrack...and the story...but I'm not Henson. In a previous life I was!...maybe...anyway, on with the story._**

**Chapter 1**

**The Really Short Chapter **

"Sarah! Just because you never had a mother doesn't mean I should never have a father! If you didn't love him, why did you marry him? Why do you have to get a divorce? You always said you loved him! Why did that stop? Does love do that? Is that what happened with Gramma? Is it because of me? Do you both hate me now that I am a teenager? Or is it just because you made a mistake and never wanted to admit it? How long has it been since you stopped loving him?"

Dakota slammed her door. Sarah rubbed her head. She hated it when Dakota called her by her first name. But it meant she was serious. _Teens. Can't live with 'em, can't ship 'em off to Australia for a few years…she had good points…but does she have to yell at me for them?_

Dakota stared at herself in the mirror, trying to prove she looked nothing like her mother. She was failing. She had thick, dark brown hair, she had the same skin type, and though she was thinner with a heart shaped face, no one could doubt she was her mother's daughter. In anger one day six months ago, she had cut her hair to just above the ears and died it purple. She had a mowhawk for awhile, but it hadn't worked. Now she just had spiky hair.

A pair of black angular glasses slipped down her nose, her eyes, mismatched, one dark green, the other icy blue, were blurred by tears and eyeliner. Her mother never explained why she had mismatched eyes. Sarah always seemed to grow cold when she asked. She learned to stop asking.

With a groan, she threw herself onto her bed. Feeling something hard in her back, she dug around in her sheets. A book.

She picked up the book her mother had given her for her birthday. **_The Labyrinth_**.

"Ha." Dakota thought venomously.

"As if this kind of stuff could happen. I WISH THE GOBLIN KING WOULD TAKE ME AWAY FROM HERE RIGHT NOW! See, no…" her voice trailed off as she saw the man, or elf, or goblin that stood in her large bay window that had been her mothers. She looked again at the…male in her window. He looked so out of place in his white trousers and light periwinkle tunic and spiked blonde hair….


	2. The Other Really Short Chapter

**_Yes, Chapter two is here, and as the title states, it is still very short. I apologize. But I think you can (and have) deal (dealt)_**

**Chapter 2 **

**The Other Really Short Chapter**

"Ah, but you see my dear, it can happen. It has happened. And it will happen again. Come with me!" the stranger said with a calming lilt to his voice.

It hypnotized her. She looked nervously at her door. Going out with a strange…guy at what hour of the night? Midnight? That was a bad idea…but how mad would her mom get? That was going to be fun! Causing her all this aggravation….

With a pleased grin, she took the…dude's hand and stared for a moment, confused, into his mismatched eyes…so like her own. Then she looked out the window. It was a castle…and a maze. She looked back to where her room was. It was gone. "My guitar!" she yelled, as some birds flew out of a nearby tree. She started to walk towards where the space her room that contained her precious electric guitar had been. The…person held her back. Dakota looked around. They were standing on a hill. She turned, scowling at the...man?

"Ok. Who, what, when, where, why, and how."

He stared at her. She sighed. "WHO are you, WHAT is going on, WHERE am I, WHEN am I going home, WHY am I here, and HOW did I get here?"

"I am Jareth, the Goblin King. We are in the midst of a great war, you are in the Labyrinth, you might never get home, you are here because you wished you were and you got here by magic. That explain it?" Jareth said. Dakota chewed on her lip a moment, analyzing the circumstances and said, "Yeah, that pretty much does it in."

"Good."


	3. The Situation

**_...I've got a loverly bunch of coconuts...there they are standing in a row... sorry, that has been stuck in my head for a week...is it copyrighted? hmmm. Oh well. It's fanfiction, and I can put whatever I want in my notes...Bwahahahaha! I like to manipulate the little characters! Sorry. Anyway. Here you go. _**

**Chapter 3 **

**The Situation **

"Ok, Dakota."

"How do you know my name?"

"You think I'd bring a total stranger to a place of magic?"

"No."

"Well, then…"

"Have you been spying n me?"

"Yes."

"WHAT? Why?"

"When where etc..."

"Not funny."

"Oh! Now the High Princess wants humor!"

"Hey, you are averting the question. Why have you been spying on me?"

"Because you wished yourself here, I froze time, went back in time and found out who you are and what kind of person you are. You actually believed David would keep his promise and--"

"Hey! That is a private matter of humiliation!"

"Well, as you told the whole band…"

"They had the right to know!"

"Yes, anyway, can we get back to the matter at hand?"

"What, besides you _spying_ on me?" Dakota asked acidly. In answer, he said, "How else was I supposed to know who you are without your noticing?"

"Well…"

"At a loss for words?"

She glared, and then nodded.

"Good. Now listen. In my…investigation of who you are, I realized that you are not a planner."

"That is certainly true."

"You are a man-"

"Girl."

"Girl of action. And you actually play quite well."

"Thank you."she spat.

"Well. You wished yourself here in disbelief. We need you, because of a war."

"War is just a series of catastrophes leading to a larger calamity for one and a triumph for another."

"That is quite true. May I continue?" Dakota nodded.

"Well, many centuries ago, there was the Goblin City, which you see over there. Then there were the elves, the elfish city. The elves and the goblins were never at war, but neither were they at peace. The elves one day realized that they could not prosper well with the goblins raided every so often. They cast a spell that keeps the goblins at bay. But in doing so, they destroyed themselves, for the spell was too great. Only recently, yesterday in fact, did the elves return from their banishment. The elves swore to make the goblins pay. I-the Goblin King-have no power over the goblins except to keep the spell working. I am elfish, not goblin, so it has been my sworn duty to keep the incantation operational. There was one small problem. Twenty years ago, a girl wished her little brother away. I took it, for that is also the duty of the Goblin King. No one had ever made it to the center of the maze, but she did. She took her brother back. During her process of the labyrinth I was distracted. She kept me held to one duty and kept me from another. The enchantment was dropped and the goblins ran. The city is empty, as every goblin able to bear arms has congregated to the battle field. The elves have declared open war. They are going to kill each other, and neither side will listen. I needed someone not goblin and not elfish, a person willing to jump in and improvise no matter what the situation, a person with fiery instincts. A person like you. And you so politely wished yourself here."

"Wait…the girl twenty years ago…was that my mom?"

"Yes."

Dakota was silent. This elf was the one in love with her mom…that's weird.

"And no, I was not in love with your mother, that is another part of the duty, to lure them away from the fact that the person they wished away is about to turn into a goblin. Besides. It's in the book." He tapped the red book that Dakota hadn't realized she had been holding. It was true….


	4. Hey, Hay, The Castle, and Fear

**_Yes, I know not much has changed... but I feel better! And I have realized I am a lot less hyper now in the notes..._**

**Chapter 4 **

**Hey, Hay, the Castle, and Fear **

"Well Mr. Elfish Goblin King Dude,"

"Jareth. It's _Jareth_."

"Fine. Jareth, I am your gal. Whaddo I haveta do?"

"Take grammar lessons."

"I do."

"They obviously don't work."

"Nope!" Dakota replied cheerfully. "So, what must I do?"

"First, come with me. Your attire is appalling, even worse than your mother's."

She looked down at her outfit: a black fishnet tank and jeans tucked into motorcycle boots.

"Hey!"

"Hay is for horses. But if you want some…" he said as he conjured up a crystal. She took hold of it, fascinated. Then it turned into hay.

"Hey!"

"I have just given you some."

"No, H-E-Y, not H-A-Y, it is used for lack of a swear word in indignation."

"Thank you, Ms. Vocabulary." Fuming, and not being able to think of something to say that did not involve the word 'hey', she followed Jareth to his castle.

The village surrounding it was dead quiet. Not a soul existed, not even ugly baby goblin. It gave Dakota a weird feeling, like she was in a ghost town, or horror movie. Or both. She hated that silence. She needed to break it!

"Wait! You can read my mind!" she realized.

"You are slow on the uptake, aren't you?"

"H-I am not!" she defended.

"But, yes, I can." Jareth grinned. Dakota gulped. She couldn't protect herself from him at all could she? Drat! Not in voice, or mind…and she didn't want to know what he was like physically speaking either, she wasn't the most gifted fighter….

She followed in a fuming silence, like a good little slave. The trouble was, with the whole reading the mind thing, is that she might be falling for him…he was about twenty years too old of course but hey! He was kinda cute!….

"Jareth, uh Jareth?" she asked tentatively. "Jareth, could you teach me to conjure up crystals? I, er, I did something like it once…and I want to learn to do it like you, purposefully and any time I want…"she trailed off a little. His eyes seemed to burn through her.

"You did it once?"

"Not with a crystal…I summoned my skateboard by accident, but I didn't tell mom cause she'd think I was going crazy, she already has sent me to three psychologists…"

"You are magic?" he asked suspiciously as she cowered. She nodded frightened. Then he smirked. "Apparently the magic from here rubbed off on Sarah and you inherited it." Dakota raised her eyes skeptically. "Which does explain your eyes…" he muttered, half to himself. "

I should teach you then. But once you learn, you have very little chance of…fitting in with the rest of society." She waved it off. "I never have fit in. I'll deal." Jareth shrugged. He led her into the castle. It was well lit, yet somehow dark, and cold, despite the fires that burned in the hearths. Dakota shivered, but it wasn't just the icy fires, it was inside, her heart seemed to freeze in fear as she went farther into the fortress. She was intimidated by the hard stone carvings, the some how not there yet there tapestries, the lack of life in the castle, but even more by Jareth himself.


	5. What Comes Next

**_Ok, have to go, so you have FIVE new chapters to enjoy! Here you go._**

****

**Chapter 5 **

**What Comes Next **

He led her to a large room with a large bed and large wardrobe. With a flick of his wrist, he opened the wardrobe doors. "Choose what you wish."

"What's wrong with my clothes?" Dakota lashed out.

"They are awful ragtag things. You need something that will actually assist you in this world."

Dakota stared at him and went to the closet. Flipping past pink and white ball dresses, she found what appeared to be a gypsy dress, mostly brown and black, but with red roses and a paisley design on the skirt. Jareth shrugged: he obviously didn't care, and left. Dakota dressed and slipped her boots back on. She may dress like the Elf, but she sure as hell wasn't going to give up her boots! Then she realized, she can't 'jump' into action in a skirt, so she went in search of pants. She found some, and miraculously, everything fit.

She went in seek of Jareth. She found him in the bedroom down the hall. Nervously, she tapped on the door. He was lying on his bed, feet dangling off, apparently ruing his existence. Noticing that he wouldn't notice her if she just stood there, she coughed. He jumped, and then smirking stood up. "Excellent choice. Now go to bed."

"What?"

"Go to bed, it's late."

"You got me dressed to go to bed."

"You should get used to it. Who knows when we will see this castle again?" he asked, stroking a stone pillar lovingly.

"You _are_ paranoid."

"No more than yourself." Dakota shrugged in defeat and trudged back to her room.

The next morning, Dakota woke up with tears in her eyes, so unused to crying. Then she remembered what her dream had been.

_I was lying on my bed, my bed at home. A knocking sounded in my room. I opened the door. There was a man, who looked very much like Jareth, only dark haired, and a creature I could only assumed to be a goblin. Mom stood in the background, holding Jareth's hand. Jareth sang something to me… _

_It's only forever  
Not long at all  
Lost and lonely_

No one can blame you  
For walking away  
Too much rejection  
No love injection  
Life can be easy  
It's not always swell  
Don't tell me truth hurts, little girl  
'Cause it hurts like hell (hurts like hell)

But down in the underground  
You'll find someone true  
Down in the underground  
A land serene  
A crystal moon, ah ,ah

It's only forever  
It's not long at all  
Lost and lonely  
That's underground  
Underground 

_Before I could figure out the song, the goblin and the elf pushed me down and said, "You are the one we want. You will cure our problems." _

_The elf pulled out an elegant knife. _

_This part hadn't scared me, what had was…Jareth saw the knife and leapt at him, knocking him to the floor. Sarah screamed. The knife rose again, blood soaked the floor, Jareth was dead. The goblin leered at me. The elf pushed Jareth's body off him and stood up with an equally unpleasant grimace. I saw one last view of Jareth's cold face and looked at Sarah. She faded away. The elf and the goblin grabbed me and the scene faded into black, then I heard myself scream. Light returned and I saw my own body lying next to Jareth's, blood from my mouth leaking onto his tunic…then I awoke… _

Dakota was sweating a cold sweat. A cry escaped her lips. Jareth came in yawning. "What is it?" Then he saw her wrapped in the green quilt that had covered her bed, tears dripping off her nose. She squinted her eyes. Her face was tear stained and her mascara had run, making her face even more ashen. Jareth to her was just a white blob. He noticed she couldn't see and picked up her glasses and handed them to her. She smiled and put them on. "What's wrong?" he asked. She told him the dream, though leaving out that she had lain next to him when she died. He raised his eyebrows and conjured up some wine. Dakota stared at him.

"I can't drink that!"

"Why not?"

"I'm underage! I can't drink until I am twenty one!"

"You can here."

She took the cup and drank it, and began coughing as it reached her throat. "You DRINK this?"

"About your dream…that might be what happens next."

"What?"

"Have you ever had dreams that turned out to be true?"

"Yes…"

"A Seeress…. She has power… maybe more magic rubbed off than I thought…" he muttered.

"What?"

"Your dream is likely to come true."

He walked back to the door, leaving her in a state of shock. "oh, shit…"

"Come on. You want to learn magic? Then follow me!"

The remainder of the day was spent in torturous work.


	6. The First Trial

_**Ok...Chapter 6 is up...yay...now. I realized I havent been doing the disclaimer thing...and I probably should...though it is kind of annoying...but here you go.**_

**_DISCLAIMERbig flashey letters : I, HeartlessRomantic, hearby state that I do not, nor have I ever, owned something near as totally awesome as Labyrinth is. signed in virtual blood. Now you know it's true_**

****

**Chapter 6 **

** The First Trial **

Jareth led the tired Dakota to her room. "In an hour is dinner. Meet me in the Great Room." She nodded and lay on her bed. She spent a moment drinking in the comfort of her bed. A snowy white owl rapped on her window. Behind it was a midnight dark owl. Dakota smiled at their beauty and went to open the window. The dark owl pushed by the white one and turned into the elf from her dream. Dakota screamed. "Jareth get up or down depending on where you are just get in here!" The white owl turned into the Goblin King. "Jareth?" she asked. He sneered. "It's two against one, pet." Dakota stared at him and then at the elf again. "Fine! If the whole world is against me, I guess I have to kill you two to make it two less to worry about! I trusted you, Jareth! And trust don't come easy!" She conjured up a crystal, Jareth had taught her how today, and rolled it to them. They stared at it for a moment. When it still did nothing, Jareth kicked it away, and it promptly blew up. He smirked. "The little witchling has learned. Excellent! But can the miniature Seeress fight us?" he said as he conjured up his own crystal. He threw it to her, and she caught it, but a split second later realized it was going to hurt her soon, so she threw it back with a yelp. The dark haired elf sneered as Jareth was enveloped in a large anaconda. He struggled on the floor while the dark haired one threw a small sapphire. It exploded on contact and she was knocked to the floor. Angry, she conjured up another crystal and threw it at him. In the air, it turned into an arrow that pierced him. She ran to Jareth and tugged the snake of him, leaving him gasping. She stuffed yet another crystal in its mouth and it disappeared. She leaned over Jareth. "I don't want to kill you Jareth. I really don't." Jareth stood up and said, "You did well. I never wanted to kill you either. It was a test." She slapped him. "You tested me? Just like that? You bastard!"

"Well, yeah…sorry. I needed to know what you would do in cases of traitorism, death, etc." She slumped down on the bed. "Oh, why so grumpy?"

"Sing."

"What?"

"Sing! Sarah sang to me when I was upset. So sing!"

"Ok!

_It's only forever  
Not long at all  
Lost and lonely_

No one can blame you  
For walking away  
Too much rejection  
No love injection  
Life can be easy  
It's not always swell  
Don't tell me truth hurts, little girl  
'Cause it hurts like hell (echo hurts like hell)

But down in the underground  
You'll find someone true  
Down in the underground  
A land serene  
A crystal moon, ah ,ah

It's only forever  
It's not long at all  
Lost and lonely  
That's underground  
Underground"

"Oh…shit…That is what you sang me in my dream!"

"Really?"

"Yeah! Ok, that right there, that is creepy."

"Yes…the dream is in motion."

"What?"

"Nothing."

Something odd was going on…what was with that song now echoing in Dakota's head? What did it mean? Why was Jareth singing it? What if her feelings were true? What if he found out? How was she supposed to stop this war? And most importantly, how was she supposed to find the Great Room for supper in half an hour?


	7. The Gypsy Haven

**_Ok...I am back... and so are the gypsies! Oh yes... gypsies rock... You know what I'm talking about, you like it too!... and so does Vic Mignoigna (cant for the life of me spell his last name) ! BACK OFF RIZA, HE'S MINE! all fma fans will know what I am talking about and what I am rabling about that has nothing to do with the chapter following. So. Here is your chapter. My chapter, actually, but what the hell, I am pronoun confused. _**

**Chapter 7 **

** The Gypsy Haven **

They met for supper. Dakota spent half an hour trying to find the Great Room, and then fifteen more minutes trying to find the table in the Great Room, only for Jareth to appear out of nowhere and tell her that this was the Great Hall, used for balls and such and whisk her to the other side of the castle.

Dinner passed uneventfully.

Jareth led her up to her room and bid her good night.

Dakota slept soundly and dreamlessly.

It was still dark, and Dakota was dead to the world when her door flew open. Dakota fell out of her bed in surprise. It was just Jareth. "Don't do that!" she yawned.

"Sorry to disturb the precious lady, but I need to leave."

"Don't you mean we need to leave?"

"What?"

"You burst in here sayin you need ta leave, and ya don't take me with you? Is that anyway for a gentleman to treat a lady?"

"No, but as you aren't a lady, I don't need to worry about that now do I?"

"You're sarcasm surprises even me, m'lord."

They glared at each other for a moment. Then, as Dakota had intended,

"Fine, we must leave immediately."

"Right."

She pulled on her boots and followed him out the door. He led her out of the castle and to a waiting carriage. "Oh, the High Lord wants a carriage, eh?" He nodded and helped her in. She trembled slightly at the feel of his warm calloused hand, but the feeling soon passed.

Five minutes of silence later, Dakota grew bored. Short attention span and all…. She sang under her breath, "Red, the blood of angry goats, black the goat that ends at last…Dah duh dom de dead a daow, deem da I don't know the words…" Jareth rolled his eyes and stared out the window. Finally, she forsake that tune for, "Always look on the bright side of life, always look on the right side of life, when life seems jolly rotten, there's something you've forgotten and that's to laugh and smile and dance and sing." She mumbled for a while then stopped. Five minutes later, she started yet another.

_"When the sun goes down (when the sun goes down)  
And the bats are back to bed (and the bats are back)  
The brothers come 'round (the brothers come 'round)  
I get out of my dirty bed (my dirty bed)  
I shake my pretty little head (I shake my pretty little head)  
Tap my pretty little feet (tap my pretty little feet)  
Feeling brighter than sunlight (oh)  
Louder than thunder (oh)  
Bouncing like a yo-yo, wooh (oh)_

Don't got no problems (no problems)  
Ain't got no suitcase (no suitcase)  
Ain't got no clothes to worry about (no clothes to worry about)  
Ain't got no real estate or jewelry or gold mines to hang me up.

I just throw in my hand (throw in my hand)  
With the chilliest bunch in the land (in the land)  
They don't look much (oh)  
They sure chilly chilly (oh)  
They positively glow glow, huh (oh)

Chilly down with the fire gang  
Think small with the fire gang (It's the only way)  
Bad hep with the fire gang (a smile a day keeps the doctor away)  
When your thing gets wild  
Chilly down!" Jareth whipped his head around. "Chilly down?" Dakota nodded. "Let me guess, these red furry creatures appeared in a dream and sang?"

"No."

"Did Sarah teach it to you?"

"No, it's in the book; I just haven't memorized all the words yet."

"Ahh."

The rest of the twenty minute trip passed in silence. They went to the edge of the Labyrinth. "We aren't going in there are we?"

"Of course."

"But…it's in the book, people never survive the Labyrinth!"

"Yeah, but none of those people were following the Goblin King."

"Am I sure this isn't another freakin test?"

"No, you aren't, but it isn't."

"I still don't trust you." Dakota glowered. He smirked again and held her pointy chin in his warm hand. She shuddered and pulled away. He smirked once more. "I still don't trust you, you realize?" she said. He nodded and said "Good."

He started towards the entrance. Dakota looked around for mad axe men in hockey masks to suddenly appear, but nothing happened. She sighed and started to follow Jareth.

"Some Labyrinth! It's just one long hallway!" Dakota screeched. Jareth turned around. "Choose a way." Dakota looked as far down one path and then the other.

"Two paths diverged in a yellow wood,

And sorry I could not travel both, and be one traveler,

Long I stood, and stared down one path far as I could,

To where it bent in the undergrowth.

Then took the other as just is far,

And having perhaps the better claim

For it was grassy and wanted wear,

Though has for that the passing there

Had worn them really about the same.

So I saved the other for another day,

Though knowing how way leads on to way,

I doubted if I should ever come back.

I shall be telling this with a sigh,

Somewhere ages and ages since,

Two woods diverge in a wood, And I-

I took the one less traveled,

And that has made all the difference."

"What was that?"

"A poem. That way," she directed, pointing to the left.

"Why that way?" Jareth asked. "Well, why not? It seemed just as good as the other." He put a hand on her shoulder, and once again her heart soared and dropped. He took it off, saying, "Good choice." And continued to walk. She followed yet again, and tried to control her fluttering heart. She walked as if in a trance, not paying any attention to anything. Jareth suddenly stopped and she walked smack into his back. He didn't turn around. She walked to beside him and looked at the wall. On it was written, "_You make it far, stranger. Though it will continue to get stranger from here on. You still think this is your stop? Ha. But then, Welcome. _

_The Gypsy Haven is open to all in need of help or rest. _

_Rest and sleep. _

_Prepare for the morrow. _

_Don't make a peep, _

_Save your things that we may borrow… _

_Just plan a surprise, _

_You may not see this lovely place again…" _

"What was that?" Dakota asked. "A poem. A bad poem, but a poem. They are trying to scare off people; the Gypsies don't like to be disturbed." Jareth smirked again. Man that was getting annoying; didn't the guy ever just smile?

Jareth-the-man-who-refuses-to-smile-properly traced a symbol onto what appeared to be a door, which suddenly disappeared. Dakota jumped back about a foot, and then curiosity got the better of her, and she peaked in. What she saw made her jaw drop, which Jareth kindly replaced for her, without so much as a tremor of her heart.

The shiny green leaves let shafts of a soft yellow light in, illuminating the springy jade grass. Occasionally, red and white flowers dotted the meadow in clumps. A dirt path edged with stones led to an encampment of red caravans. Pushing her out of the dusty maze, Jareth stepped in as well. On seeing Jareth, several gypsy children, ranging from three to twelve ran up to him. He smiled, yes smiled a proper happy smile, and hugged them all in a big bear hug. They laughed. Dakota decided to lurk in the background, not even being of this world, so…not quite comfortable for people who etched a bad elegy to scare her off. There was a handy tree she sat in the shade of and relaxed while watching Jareth play with the children, seemingly to have forgotten her. However, he looked up at her and motioned her over. He sent the children back to their parents. "Did you read my mind again?" she asked. "Whatever gave you that idea, m'dear?" She shrugged. He led her to the adult gypsies. Immediately the females gathered around her.

"Oh, look how thin!" one said, poking her side. "And so pale!"

"But quite a wonderful gypsy's dress did you make it yourself?"

"Of course she did! What self respecting gypsy woman wouldn't!"

"Is her hair purple?"

"Maybe she is a fey?"

"Unlikely, look at her hands! Too large. And calloused!"

"Good, she can do work."

"Well we aren't keeping her!"

"Who says we aren't!"

"Yes, why would Jareth bring her otherwise?"

"I say you aren't keeping her, Kirma. And I brought her because I wanted to talk to you and she insisted on coming as well Mirandari." Jareth had suddenly appeared beside her.

"Oh, gone and got hitched, eh Jareth? Haven to do whatever the Missus says?" a middle aged man with a large black beard came over. Dakota glared and said, "Is that your beard, or are you eating a muskrat while you talk to us? That's very rude, you know."

"Rude, Mrs. Jareth? Talk about rude yourself!"

"Oh, whatever. Go get a haircut, you look like a chrysanthemum. And I am not Mrs. Jareth!" she yelled after him as he went off indignantly. The women tittered again.

"How rude!"

"I quite agree!"

"What has Jareth gotten himself into now?"

"And with such a pretty girl!"

"Pretty? She is skin, bones and scowl!"

"So? So is he!"

"Nay, he's got some muscles on him that one has."

"And he does smile!"

"Though only to the children."

"What has that got to do with anything?"

"Just a point of interest, dear."

Finally, Dakota got bored and wandered off towards a young man sipping at some ale. "Hello, miss. If ya aint Missus Jareth, then who are you?"

"Miss Dakota Rizka Ursula Naomi Kismet, dear sir," she said, bowing deeply. "They also call me Freak or Drunk or Fate or completely over dramatic." The young man laughed. "I like Rizka. I think I shall call you Rizka," he said. She smiled. "Yeah…my mom wanted me to be Rizka, my father wanted Dakota, after his sister who had recently died in a car- a carriage accident, they both liked Naomi, but not as a first name and Ursula had for some reason been a family middle name on my dad's side, therefore, Dakota Rizka Ursula Naomi Kismet was born. I haven't been called anything other than Freak or Drunk or Fate or completely over dramatic since…ages." She laughed again. Jareth came over. "Dakota, can we talk? With the Gypsy King?" Confused, she nodded. She followed Jareth to a large red and deep gold caravan. Entering, Dakota blinked several times. It was a lot darker in there than it was outside in the grove! She tripped over a chair in her attempt to walk farther in, but was caught by a familiar strong hand. She smiled gratefully up at Jareth, who set her back on her feet and lit a nearby lamp. The caravan was bathed in light. It was crowded, but hard to tell what with, exactly. There were chairs and a table and lamps and a bed and teacups and papers and pens and books and a violin and a viola and a guitar (to Dakota's extreme delight) and paintings and hangings and weavings and…lots of stuff. But she didn't see the Gypsy King. "Do you think he would mind if I held his guitar, Jareth?"

"Oh, undoubtedly." Jareth did not however, say this. An unfamiliar voice, a deep gravely voice did. Dakota blushed. "Sorry…I just like guitars," she muttered. "Oh, if you must!" the voice came again. Her face lit up. "Thank you!" she said out loud, but to herself said, _Thank you so much disembodied voice from nowhere!_ "And I am not disembodied!" the voice said. The voice came from a tall portly man who apparently _had_ come from nowhere. He wore a red vest over white poet's shirt and black pants with a deep green handkerchief around his thick wavy blonde hair. "Can everyone read my mind?" Dakota fumed. Jareth said, "Only the people who want to see into your little demented mind."

"H-I am not going to say that!" she muttered. "Don't say that! Break the habit! Don't say it!..." seemingly to herself. The Gypsy King strode over to his guitar and handed it to Dakota, who smiled and sat down and played quietly. Paying no attention to anyone or anything, she focused on the soft quiet and melodious sound the guitar made. "Fetche le vache!" she murmured. (A/N: Fetche le vache means fetch the cow. shrugs)

"We can't. I told you, the gypsies will have nothing to do with this war."

"But!"

"No Jareth!"

"Look, I am Goblin King, and these are my people I am sending out to die to my kinsmen. That is very much like you sending the gypsies against the fays and you remember what happens then!"

"No."

"Pavlino,-"

"We need help!" a new voice broke in, unexpectedly it was Dakota. Not noticing the bemused look she was getting from Jareth, she continued. "So far it is me and him, two people against two thousand angry elves and goblins. And he's in a tight spot. He's an elf controlling goblins. He will either be outcasted from Elfish society or will lose the throne, thus careening the entire country into complete disaster if the goblins roam free and unleadered. That will affect you, your wives, husbands, children being subjected to pointless sacrifice to the goblins. Out of Elfish society, he will not be able to send an ambassador, thereby not only damaging the allies list in case of other attack, but leading to a depletion of imports and exports on both counts. Without the imports and/or exports, you will not be able to take things, such as that elfish earring in your ear without a long fruitless trip for a bit of shine. The lack of sales results in lack of money being made, thereby sends both nations into economical disaster. If they go through with this war the entire world with be catapulted into a vortex where nothing makes any sense. There was never a good war or a bad peace."

The Kings stared at her, still baffled. "In small words so you will both understand, 'you don't help us, we die a really bad death and you become subjected to a torturous living under rule of evil bloodthirsty goblins.'"

"They aren't bloodthirsty!" Jareth defended. Dakota shrugged. "Exaggerated, but it seems to have the point across." The Gypsy King was nodding vigorously. "We help!" Dakota smirked at Jareth. "Rizka-"

"How did you know that was my first middle name?"

"First?" asked Jareth.

"Dakota Rizka Ursula Naomi Kismet."

"Oh…"

"I think you are Rizka because in our language, Rizka means 'one who brings painful light'. Naomi is also used by gypsies, because of the original name Nomai. You are Nomai, 'one who leads with fiery sword and spear'!"

They left soon after, with the two kings discussing something totally unrelated and Dakota having to return his guitar.

"So, Nomai," Jareth said. She looked up at him. "Ready for war?" She smirked and nodded.

They returned to the castle and went their separate ways, Jareth to his library and Dakota to the perch outside her window. She fell asleep leaning on the railing.


	8. Attack

**_Ok... I dont know why people like this story so much! It is positivly indecent to write chapters this short! (for me anyway...) but Hey, I like it to. And save me from the Jareths on horseback stampede_**

**Chapter 8**

** Attack **

****

Dawn found the young purple haired woman collapsed on the ground, blood flowing from her side and head, her thin rimmed glasses five feet from her eyes. She sat that way for hours, unconscious and bleeding.

Jareth walked into her room, to wake her up, for it was past ten, and seeing her not in her bed but bent over a chair, as if she had been thrown over it, hurtled himself over her bed and to her bloody side. "What happened! Dakota? Rizka? Nomai?" She took in a labored breath and gasped in pain. Jareth conjured a crystal and put it inside her side where it melted and sewed up the hacked open wound. He put another in her head and she sat up. "Ja-a-areth?" she gasped. He nodded and held her to his chest. "Shhshh. Don't cry. Shhshh." She, of course, sobbed onto his tunic for a loooong time. A droplet of blood landed on it, and she screamed and burrowed her head in farther, and he just rocked her in his arms.

"What happened?" he asked again. A look of horror crossed her face.

_I apparently fell asleep, as I woke up. I was leaning on the rail overlooking the Labyrinth. A soft yellow glow emitted from it. I heard a rustle behind me. Paranoid as always, I kept quiet, hoping against hope that they wouldn't see me. Of course, as always happens at the most inopportune of moments, a piece of dust tickled my nose. I sneezed, and the people behind me knew I was there. Cautiously turning around, I saw the elf and goblin from my dream. I was about to scream, but the elf covered my mouth and the goblin stabbed my side and cut open my head. They threw me over a chair and fled, as blackness shrouded my mind. _

Jareth saw it all through her eyes. He picked her up and carried her to her bed. She began giggling like crazy. "What?" he asked. "I have no idea!" Dakota laughed hysterically. Thinking she was going quite mad, he laid her on the bed and closed the door.


	9. The Very Very Next Test

**_Again with the indecently short chapters! They make my authors notes shorter and I cant ramble as much! Oh well... There really wasnt much else to write._**

**Chapter 9 **

** The Very Very Next Test **

****

She woke up the next day with stabbing twinges in her side and head. Rubbing her head and stretching for her glasses, she stood up. Her head prickled and blackness edged around her eyes. She shook her head and walked to the Great Room. She peeked in and saw Jareth already sitting there, eating cantaloupe. She stumbled in and sat down. "How are you?" Jareth asked curiously. "Besides the oh-so _miniscule _fact that I have been stabbed in the side and head, losing a fair amount of blood, enough to make me go absolutely in_sane_, I am just peachy." She was rather vindictive at the moment, with good reason. She grabbed a loaf of bread and began to gnaw on it. She took off her glasses and rubbed her eyes. She opened them wide for a moment and then put her glasses back on, still with wide eyes. Behind Jareth was a very large goblin, and the very large goblin was wielding a very large club, with little spikes on it. It silently treaded up behind Jareth and knocked him out. It began advancing on Dakota.

Dakota didn't scream. Dakota didn't cry. Dakota stood there. Or that is what goblin thought. She was actually behind her back summoning a very lethal crystal. The very lethal crystal should kill him on touch. She completed it, threw it, and just as she had calculated, killed him on contact. It disappeared. She ran to Jareth. He (of course) was awake. After making sure he was not hurt in anyway, she slapped him. He rubbed his cheek and said, "You did well." She nodded. "I knew it was a test." Jareth smacked his head.

The next three weeks passed uneventfully. Dakota learned sword, arrows, crystals, and stealth. Jareth learned what it truly means, 'Falling in love.'


	10. The Warning Letter

**Chapter 10 **

** The Warning Letter**

A note came early one morning at breakfast, delivered by a tawny bird.

_My lord Jareth, King of the _ _Goblin_ _City_

_ The elves will not tolerate this any longer. Put the spell back up, before we go to war with your precious goblins. You may have the duty to your goblins, but you also have your duty to us. Put back the spell, keep it going. No dark eyed beauty can distract you from your responsibility this time, we hope. _

Jareth glanced at Dakota. No, her eyes were fairly light. The green one could be ignored.

_ The elves ride to war in three days time. If the spell has not been put up, we will kill all the goblins in our way. It does not matter who. _

_ We know of that child you have taken in. She will die too if you do not appease us. We are sick and tired of the goblins. _

_ Jareth, if you do not put the spell up, everything you have known will be destroyed. _

_Arakmias, Lord and King of the Elfish City _


	11. A Day in the Life of a Panicky Mother

**Chapter 11 **

**A day in the life of a panicky mother**

Sarah screamed. Her husband came in behind her.

"Jacob! Dakota is gone!"

"What do you **mean** gone?"

Sarah pointed to the empty room and the open window. There was nothing but a white owl feather, flitting around in the breeze brought in by the window. It said 'notice me! I symbolize something important!'.

As Sarah noticed it, visions clouded her mind. A white ballroom...swirling fabrics...a peach... a castle... a man... goblins... Sarah knew just were Dakota was. Was Dakota safe? Of course not. Was Sarah afraid? No. Somehow, she knew. If a mortal could get through to save a child she really didnt like, then a girl with a touch of magic, off to save her own skin could surely do it.

Sarah wanted to laugh and cry at the same time. So she did. Her husband led her back to bed with a supply of aspirin, hoping she would again become sane. Dakota was fine. He hoped.

Dakota was fine.

She was in fact at the time eating cantaloupe and wondering what her parents were doing and weather her father had commited her mother to the nuthouse or the courthouse yet. Not yet,she figured. But hey, she had Jareth, and she had a war to fight. What did she care?


	12. Finally

**_Hmm... Yes, a longer chapter. So proud. Warnings of fluff... and blood. Wow, love and murder in the same breath. _**

**Chapter 12 **

**Finally **

Dakota hefted the large sword over her shoulder and followed Jareth out of the castle. They walked until they came to a cliff. They looked over, and saw not just tens of thousands, but tens of tens of _tens_ of thousands already engaged in the fight. The dead gathered around were almost outnumbering the living. Jareth put his hand on Dakota's shoulder and stared into the ruin of what had once been a happy world. She looked up, and saw an imperial army behind them. "Uh…Jarrrrrrreth? There are some…unhappy looking people behind you." Jareth turned around. "Arakmias! Let's talk-"

That was as far as he got, because an elf behind him knocked him out. Dakota got angry. "Look you bastard! He tried to talk but you knocked him out! Shit, man! Look, he has made some mistakes, haven't you? But you started this war, not him. You are killing the goblins because they are killing your elves. Is blood really avenged when it is gained with more blood?" That said, she dropped to Jareth's side, after kicking Arakmias in an unpleasant place. The elves retreated down the cliff, to continue killing. Jareth lay there. Dakota tried to awaken him, in vain. It was a downhill look.

Dakota once again looked at the wreckage below her. Only a handfull of soldiers were left. They gathered around the rock wall, tired, hungry, and sad. They had seen their friends and relatives die, and for what? Dakota was going to help them, by what ever means necessary. Without another thought, she hurtled herself off the mountain, her skirt flapping around her knees. With a snapping sound from her leg, she landed down below, in between the two armies. "Stop...don't...kill...each other...just...let them live...in p...peace...in peace...peace..." she extracted her final breath, and died.

By that time, Jareth had woken up and climbed down. He saw Dakota die. Picking up her limp form, he cried to the stars. Dakota, Sarah's daughter, his student, his responsibility, his love. He kissed her cold dead lips as a final farewell, and set her down. She looked peaceful, which is what she wanted. She had come to the Underground a goth, obsessed with rock, black, and especially her guitar. She would leave the Underground a woman, proud, knowing what war truly meant. She had tasted the apple, the Forbiden fruit, and had come out a better person. She had died, trying to save those she didn't know. Unless...

Jareth, ignoring the pleas and threats of the elves and goblins around him, he brought her back to his palace. She would be Queen. His Queen. Queen Rizka, and they would be happy. But it was risky.

He lay her on the bed. He healed her wounds and crossed her hands over her chest. Then he placed lillies around her. He fed her a potion of life, changed to fit the circumstances, and force fed it to her. He sat back, waiting to see those odd eyes open once more.

But they didn't.

Jareth turned away. Exhasted and beyond tears, he meditated. He heard the bed creak, and an arm on his shoulder. He turned around. Dakota was alive again! She slapped him. "That test took it a little far, doncha think?" He held her in his arms for a long moment, and then said, "It wasnt a test."

"Of course not.Just like neither was the bauble tossing game, the troll, or the gypsies. None of those were tests."

"Well...those were. But this wasnt!"

"Of course it wasnt."

"Look! You cant go through life thinking everything is a test! Things do get real sometimes!"

"Is that why you take life so seriously? I wasn't dead…broken leg…unconscious…."

Jareth laughed and lifted her off the bed, holding her tight. Spinning and dancing, Jareth looked deep into her mismatched eyes, and Dakota looked into his. Without either of them knowing what they were doing, their lips suddenly migrated to each other, like magnets. They stood there, lips locked as they kissed in bliss. In such bliss, that they didnt relize that their surrondings were disinigrating. It turned into Dakota's room. They broke apart, gasping in raged breaths. Sarah stood in the hall, watching them. Jareth crossed and held her hand. Then he began to sing, to Dakota,

_It's only forever, _

_Not long at all. _

_The lost and the lonely_

_No one can blame you,_

_For walking away._

_But too much protection nuhnuh_

_No love injection_

_Life can be easy._

_It's not always fair_

_Dont tell me truth hurts little girl,_

_Cause it hurts like hell, hurts like hell._

_But down, in the Underground, _

_You'll find someone true. _

_Down, in the Underground, _

_A lancer ring_

_A crystal hue_

_Ah-ah_

_It's only forever, not long at all_

_For the lost and lonely,_

_It's Underground Underground..._

Dakota stared at him, a memory passed by...

The elf pulled out an elgant knife. Jareth saw the knife and lept at him, knocking him down. Sarah screamed. The knife rose again, blood soaked the floor.Dakota saw one last view of Jareth's cold face and looked at Sarah. She faded away. The goblin and the elf leered. The knife was aimed at Dakota's chest. _No..._ she thought._I wont have the dream repeat itself._ She kicked the elf, punched the goblin, and grabbed the knife. "No. You cant kill him!" she yelled. She blew a crystal over at them and they disappeared. Leaning over Jareth's body, a single crystal tear fell on Jareth's ring. Dakota laid her head on his chest, letting his blood drip over her hands. The elf stood again, unnoticed by Dakota. He held a saphire in one hand, and with a little blue smoke, it turned into a rough hewn knife of stone. He lifted it behind Dakota, and sank it into her back. She gasped, fell again on Jareth, and a single blood drop fell upon his white tunic. Arakmias returned to the battlefield as the Junk Crone laughed in glee.

The prophesy had come true.


	13. When the Clock strikes Thirteen

**Chapter 13 **

**When the Clock Strikes Thirteen**

****

Arakmias had returned to the battlefield. The goblins were losing, to his pleasure. He had finally killed Jareth and his dark eyed beauty. He was the only legitimate heir to the throne. Life was going his way today!

Yet how could he possibly be happy? He pondered. His kingdom would be in turmoil, he would be the disliked disrespected tyrant of a measly population. The Elvin army was about to crack, and there was only a handful of goblins left. He would rule desolation and debris.

Oh well. He would rule, and that was all that mattered now. That's why he had gone to war, wasn't it? It wasn't his fault if the stupid elves couldn't keep alive. They had trained for this after all. Life was fine.

Until the gypsies came.

They were a little late to the battle (it was a difficult labyrinth when it wanted to be…which it did.) but they came. And they came to have blood.

The battle had raged for twelve hours.

What would happen at thirteen? What could happen at thirteen? Nothing, Jareth was dead and so was the Seer girl. He was the ruler and if he decided nothing would happen, then nothing would happen.

Would it?

Jareth and Dakota were dead to begin with. They couldn't do a thing. They were dead in a JUNKYARD for Odin's sake! (Odin being a god of theirs and the Norwegians. Scandinavia is closer to the Underground than anyone admits) What harm could they do?

Quite a lot it seemed.

In the junkyard, two dead bodies sat, waiting for decomposition. A crone putters about. It is quiet.

Until someone screams.

Dakota sits up, wiping blood from her mouth. Jareth awakes as well. They stare at each other, until the Junk Crone mutters something. '_Thinks he can kill of the king…doesn't know that the king cant die without his quest done he'll just come back…waste of time really, that dearie doesn't know what he's doing…_' she says.

Without a word, they are running to the field.

The ground is red. It stinks of murder.

Jareth leans down to Dakota.

"Did you see anything…during the…" He cannot finish the sentence. Dakota's mouth twitches. "Yes…" she says. "It's going to be fine."

Taking her hand, Jareth leaps off the cliff, landing with the grace of an elf and the temper of a goblin. Dakota lands on a large furry red creature—dead. He is next to a dog in livery-also dead. They are amongst many goblins. All dead.

Dakota winces and runs off.

She falls as white light engulfs her.

She sees herself, falling in darkness. Jareth is beside her, and Arakmias leers from above. Blue hands grasp her as---

She awakes. She does not know the outcome of her dream; she only knows that it can't be good.

She runs to Jareth, telling him the story.

Arakmias comes.

"I killed you too quickly last time."

The clock strikes thirteen.

"You have not finished your duty in the thirteen hours. I keep my kingdom. You do not." Arakmias glares. In a flash, they are at the oubliette. Dakota and Jareth are falling. Arakmias is leering. Blue hands are grasping.

"Up or down?" they ask. Dakota babbles. The ones not holding them are making faces. It's a little distracting. "Up if you'd be so kind!"

A split second later, blood soaks the hall. The three of them are dead.

Sarah wakes up. It is one o' clock. Her husband stirs. "What's wrong?" he asks.

"Our child! It's dead….dead…dead…." she weeps. "We don't have a child."

"Of course we do!"

"Was it male or female?"

"I-I don't remember…"

"See, we have no child."

"Just a bad dream?"

"Just a bad dream. Good night."

"Good night."


End file.
